Google Testing New App Bubbling Feature to Improve Multitasking on Android Tablets: Report

Google is reportedly refining multitasking on Android tablets, as seen in new code discovered in the latest Android Canary 2510 release. According to a recent report, the company may introduce a feature that allows users to “bubble” apps by dragging their icons from the bottom corner of the screen. This updated approach will likely replace the earlier “bubble anything” feature found in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2, with an aim to make app switching and multitasking more seamless and intuitive on larger displays.

Google Testing New App Bubbling Feature to Improve Multitasking

An Android Authority report has uncovered new references to Google's upcoming multitasking feature in the latest Android Canary 2510 release. The code hints at a redesigned “bubble apps” system for tablets, allowing users to drag an app's icon from one of the screen's bottom corners to turn it into a floating window. When users perform this gesture for the first time, a tutorial will reportedly appear, showing how to “drag to the bottom corners to make it float,” along with an animation demonstrating the process from the taskbar.

The report suggests that users might be able to launch almost any Android app in a floating bubble window, making multitasking smoother and more flexible. This would allow for quick switching and better control when managing multiple apps on larger displays.

Android already offers capable multitasking on phones and tablets, with Google continuing to enhance the experience through features like the 90:10 split-screen mode. However, tablet multitasking still has room to improve. The new bubbling system appears to be Google's next step toward making multitasking on Android tablets more seamless and intuitive.

Currently, Android only allows users to bubble conversations, allowing chat windows to float over other apps for quick access. Expanding this to full apps on tablets seems like a natural next step for Google's multitasking efforts.

While there's always a chance the feature could be delayed or scrapped, the inclusion of a full tutorial and animations suggests it's nearing completion. Google may roll out app bubbling for tablets with Android 16's first Quarterly Platform Release in 2026, or possibly with Android 17.